logo
episode-header-image
May 2022
35m 15s

The MP who tried to gag the press

THE TIMES
About this episode

In 2018, the Sunday Times broke the story that then-serving Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke had been accused of rape by a former aide. Elphicke denied the allegation and sued for libel, and the paper spent the next four years in a legal battle, which has only just concluded.

To read more:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charlie-elphicke-the-predator-mp-and-his-protection-racket-3kb30pl6w 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charlie-elphicke-abandons-libel-challenge-over-rape-report-wc5mrzg5w

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.  

Guest: Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director at The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: David Aaronovitch.

Clips: CBS, UK Parliament, ITV, 5 News, Times Radio.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
The forgotten postmaster ‘hounded to death’ by investigators
<p>Of the thirteen sub-postmasters thought to have taken their own lives because of the Post Office scandal, only two have been named publicly. Michael Mann was one of them. Our reporter has spoken to his family, former partner and ex-colleagues to tell his story for the first ti ... Show More
33m 17s
Yesterday
A new peace plan, and a critical moment for Zelensky
<p>The prospect of peace in Ukraine may be edging closer, after the leak of a controversial 28-point plan to end the war prompted Ukrainian and Western officials to meet for ‘productive’ talks in Geneva. Is this the beginning of the end? And how does the latest proposal ensure th ... Show More
30m 48s
Nov 24
Porn, strangulation and the law
<p>A recent survey revealed that more than half of 16 to 34-year-olds have taken part in strangulation during sex, despite the risks of a loss of consciousness and stroke. Many feel a rise in choking in pornography is to blame, a practice the UK government is set to ban. Baroness ... Show More
31m 8s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public
<p><i>This episode contains descriptions of alleged sexual assault. </i></p><p>It’s been more than five years since the #MeToo movement, driven by reporting at publications like The New York Times, toppled powerful and abusive men. Behind that essential journalism were sources, m ... Show More
45m 32s
Jan 2023
Why India banned the BBC’s Modi documentary | The Listening Post
The Indian government’s decision to ban a BBC documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, which left more than a thousand people dead, has become its own story.<br><br>It has drawn global attention to Modi’s record in office and the subsequent ... Show More
25m 16s
Aug 2023
The Legal Strategy Behind the Latest Trump Indictment
<p>To win a conviction against former President Donald J. Trump for trying to subvert the results of the 2020 election, Jack Smith, the special counsel, is applying laws in ways that have never been used before.</p><p>Charlie Savage, a Washington correspondent for The Times, expl ... Show More
27m 44s
Feb 2024
The Post Office scandal - more trouble on the Horizon?
The former chair of the Post Office, Henry Staunton, who was dismissed last month, claims he was told by a top civil servant to "hobble into the election" and delay payouts to sub-postmasters, in a newly released memo. But Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told MPs there's "no evi ... Show More
22m 46s
Feb 2024
The Post Office scandal - more trouble on the Horizon?
The former chair of the Post Office, Henry Staunton, who was dismissed last month, claims he was told by a top civil servant to "hobble into the election" and delay payouts to sub-postmasters, in a newly released memo. But Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told MPs there's "no evi ... Show More
24m 19s
Feb 2024
Out Of Koch Money
<p>Tuesday, February 27th, 2024</p><p>Today, Ken Chesebro concealed secret Twitter account communications from Michigan prosecutors; Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has asked for a gag order in the upcoming election interference hush money trial of Donald Trump; Russia tied hackers issu ... Show More
38m 13s
Feb 2024
Will Young: popstar to politician? Plus Westminster ceasefire row
Nish and guest co-presenter Liz Bates set the scene on what went on to become a chaotic night  in the Commons, that put speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s job at risk. They call out the “pathetic and petty” political game playing that sought to use the suffering of people in Gaza to embarra ... Show More
54m 22s
Jan 2024
Is democracy dying?
Why are younger voters around the world turning their back on democracy in favour of strongman leaders who are prepared to defy parliaments?In a year when more than two billion people in 50 countries will go to the polls – the biggest global election year in history – Amol and Ni ... Show More
47m 54s